Manu Too Young to be ‘Creating’ Such Controversies: Anjali Bhagwat

A young sportsperson has been forced to go public, and demand a prize money that was promised to her after she won laurels for the country. With qualifications for the Tokyo Olympics coming up, former World no 1 shooter Anjali Bhagwat, in a conversation with The Quint, has questioned whether this is what 16-year-old Manu Bhaker should be concentrating on.

In October last year, Haryana sports minister Anil Vij had announced a reward of Rs 2 crore after she won India's first-ever gold medal in shooting at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. A reward, that Bhaker on 4 January remind the minister, she is yet to receive.

In response, Vij lashed out at Bhaker, stating that the 16-year-old shooter should ‘feel sorry for creating this controversy’.

“She’s too young to be ‘creating’ such controversies. There’s nothing wrong with her asking for what was promised to her. If the money had been promised, she should have received it on time.”

“Again I'm saying this, she's so young, she should be concentrating on her training and not getting disturbed by such financial problems. If she has to focus on figuring these things out, when will she focus on her training," added Bhagwat.

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